Eagles Play Monday Night Without Hurts and Key Receivers

The Philadelphia Eagles will host the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, October 26, at 8:15 p.m. ET at Lincoln Financial Field. The game airs on ESPN and ABC, and the Cowboys are listed as 4.5-point favorites with an over/under total of 43.5 points at DraftKings Sportsbook. This Week 7 matchup pits a struggling Dallas offense against a Philadelphia unit missing its starting quarterback and two primary wideouts.

Jalen Hurts will not play after blood clots were found in his calf and lungs. DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks are also out. Saquon Barkley, Landon Dickerson, Jonathan Greenard, and Jalyx Hunt are listed as questionable. The Eagles have lost four consecutive games after starting the season 2-0. Their depth issues extend to the backup running backs, with Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley on injured reserve.

Dallas enters the game after dropping back-to-back contests to the Buccaneers and Packers. The Cowboys scored 30 or more points in each of their previous three games but combined for only 29 points in the last two. Dak Prescott completed 20 of 38 passes for 194 yards and no touchdowns when facing blitzing defenses in those contests. Tyler Smith returned to the offensive line, yet the team rushed for just 98 yards total over the span.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit has blitzed on only 24.1% of dropbacks, a rate that ranks fourth lowest in the NFL. This is a sharp contrast to the 38.8% blitz rate from Tampa Bay and Green Bay in Weeks 5 and 6. The Eagles’ secondary has allowed opponents to complete 60.4% of passes for an average of 7.0 yards per attempt. However, the unit has given up eight touchdown passes while recording only three interceptions.

Tanner McKee will start at quarterback for Philadelphia. He dropped back to pass 48 times in the previous game, a volume consistent with his two career starts. The Eagles’ run game may suffer because McKee cannot replicate Hurts’ mobility as a dual threat. Barkley averaged 5.5 yards per carry in the two games he played healthy this season and practiced in full on Friday.

The Cowboys have allowed opponents to average 4.7 yards per carry. Five different teams have rushed for at least 165 yards against them. Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, and Dallas Goedert will serve as McKee’s top targets. The Cowboys have recorded a sack, hit, or hurry on only 32.9% of opponent dropbacks, giving quarterbacks ample time to operate in the pocket.

Dallas’s passing game faces a defense that has allowed 60.4% completion rates but has also suffered from drops, with 14 opponent drops ranking second highest in the league. The Eagles’ inability to generate pressure has left cornerbacks like Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean covering receivers for extended periods. If the Cowboys can improve their pass rush against McKee, who is 16 of 45 for 179 yards under pressure, they may find an advantage in the passing lanes.